Arizona State Football’s Chip Sarafin Becomes First Openly Gay Active College Football Player

This spring, former Missouri defensive lineman Michael Sam broke down a huge barrier in sports, becoming the first openly gay football player ahead of the NFL Draft Combine. Now, Arizona State senior offensive lineman Edward “Chip” Sarafin is following in Sam’s footsteps, and this season, will be the first openly gay active player in college football. Sarafin came out to his teammates last spring, and decided to make his sexuality public through a profile by Compete Magazine.

Of his own coming out, Sarafin began telling his teammates last spring. “It was really personal to me, and it benefitted my peace of mind greatly.”

Sarafin says that he told his teammates mostly for himself and because he wanted them to hear it straight from him instead of the college rumor mill that all players find themselves subjected to at some point.

As a whole, the article spends more time focusing on the redshirt senior’s impressive academic background. Sarafin already has a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering, and will be working towards a master’s this year.

The Sun Devil has greater aspirations than football, however. “My ultimate goal after I get my master’s is to eventually become a neurologist.”

As a walk-on, Sarafin may not have a huge impact on the field, but he, along with Sam, can certainly inspire others off of it.